Sand Covered Coats and Confessions
by badwolf21
Summary: The Doctor and Rose travel to a new world, but feelings won't stay buried for long. Sequal to One Too Far.
1. Chapter 1

"Aren't we moving yet?"

"Rose, I'm making adjustments to the Tardis. One wrong move and I could blow up a solar system." said the Doctor's voice under the console.

"Bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?" Rose said, sitting on the captain's chair, reading a magazine.

The Doctor popped his head up. His hair was all ruffed, his glasses askew and there was bit of (what looked like to Rose) oil on the end of his nose. "Weelll, maybe." He replied with a cheeky grin on his face.

Rose stared at him for a few seconds and shook her head. Rose could feel her cheeks turning red, looking at the Doctor in his current state. She lifted up the magazine enough to cover her face and pretended to be engrossed in an article. _Calm down, Rose, _she thought.

"Besides, why are you in such a hurry?" asked the Doctor.

"This coming from the man who can't stay in one spot for longer than five minutes." Rose retorted.

The Doctor glared at her, but Rose could feel the intensity even with her make shift shield. He heaved himself up and put his glasses back in his pocket. Rose stood up from the seat and stretched her arms above her head. The Doctor turned around just as her t – shirt lifted up slightly to show a tiny bit of bare flesh. _Eyes on the screen, _he thought, _eyes on the screen_. He could feel his feelings for his companion bubbling under the surface. He took a deep breath and tried to regain his focus.

"Couldn't we just set the controls on random again?"

"No." snapped the Doctor. Rose raised an eyebrow, looking confused. "No. No, need to do that. I know just the place." Rose shrugged it off, knowing better than to argue with the designated driver.

The Doctor dashed around the console, flicking switches. Within a few second the Tardis landed with a bump that threw both of them on the floor.

"Ow." said Rose, trying to repress a giggle. The Doctor got up and pulled her to her feet. "You think after seven hundred years of driving the Tardis, you would know how to park better?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes and grabbed his long coat. "I don't know show her all of time and space and she's still complaining." he muttered under his breath.

Rose practically bounced down the ramp to meet him. Her excitement about their travels made the Doctor see the universe in a new way. Through someone else's eyes, it almost made him feel less lonely.

"Miss Tyler, would you like to explore this new world with me?" The Doctor said, as he offered his arm to her, his eyes full of wonder.

"Of course. Lord knows what trouble you'd get into without me." She said with a cheeky tone in her voice.

The Tardis had landed on a cliff slide overlooking a white sandy beach. Rose stepped outside and gasped at the sight, with the Doctor just one step away her. Behind them in the distance was a modern city full of skyscrapers.

"Is this like an intergalactic seaside resort?" Rose said.

"Oi, don't knock it"

"Sorry, Doctor" Rose said, waving her hand. "Carry on."

"This is the Star Gazing Point of the Galaxy Alpha Ten," the Doctor explained. He looked down to an imaginary watch on his wrist. "And in forty minutes the sun is about to set."

"Sure it's not going explode like last time?" Rose questioned.

"Course, not," he replied and with that he grabbed Rose's hand "Run!"

Within a few minutes, the happy travellers found a spot on the beach to watch the event. The Doctor was lying on his coat, with his trainers next to him, his feet dug in the sand where it looked as if someone (Rose) had tried to bury them. He was watching Rose paddling in the crystal blue water. She had pulled her jeans up to her knees and was watching fish swim around her feet.

"Aren't you coming in?" She asked, curiously.

"Nah, I'm enjoying the view." He said, not thinking. For a moment, there was a silence. Rose spun around to him and giggled, thinking he meant the scenery.

"Fair enough."

"Yeah, yeah" he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

Rose strolled towards him and plonked herself down next to him, careful not to get her wet, sandy feet on his precious coat.

"So, I have to ask, we've seen sunsets before, what's so different this time?" she asked, poking him in the side.

The Doctor sighed. "This planet is very similar to Earth. You have the similar atmosphere, wildlife but there is one big difference," the Doctor explained. Rose watched him effortlessly and knew she would never get tired of him talking like this. He was so passionate. "A whole day on Earth is twenty-four hours. However here a whole day is equivalent to a whole year. So when the sun sets it's a rare event. Well, not rare but you get the point."

"But why are we the only ones here?" Rose queried looking around at their surroundings. "Where is everyone else?"

The Doctor pointed behind him to the buildings in the distance. "Up, there safe as houses. They watch from a distance because they believe it's too common to be down here. Or maybe they don't like sand in between their toes," He wiggled his toes underneath the sand and grinned at her. Rose couldn't help but admire her handy work. "Me, I love it. Apart from that one time that I nearly stood on a jellyfish."

"Yeah, it was when we were with Jack, when you were the old you". The Doctor's grin faded slightly. He knew that Rose had accepted his new form but knowing that she missed the old him even though he was right next to her, stung little a bit. Okay, more than a little bit.

"Exactly". Rose noticed that the Doctor shifted closer to her, closer than he usually would be. They both looked to the sky and the bright sun was slowing descending.

The Doctor's hand just brushed her slightly and she bit her lip and closed her eyes shut. His touch sent a shiver up her spine. _Ignore it and it will go away by itself_, she thought (and hoped).

He noticed the look on her face. "Rose, you alright?" he said with concern in his voice.

_Should have brought the magazine with me, _she thought.

She nodded but he wasn't convinced. The Doctor moved his arm to rest in on her shoulder but she jerked back, getting her sandy feet on his coat.

Rose jumped up, her cheeks bright pink, panting faintly. It was almost as if the Doctor had given her an electric shock. He gazed at her, looking almost panicked. She knew she had to say something, anything.

**A/N: Thanks to Beres for the prompt: sunset. **

**Please review and I hope you like it. **

**Will try to update as soon as I can. **


	2. Chapter 2

"Sor… sorry, I got sand on your coat" Rose stuttered, raising her hand to her mouth.

"That doesn't matter." The Doctor sat up to look at her properly. He studied her, trying to work out what was going on in her head. _What was that? Maybe it's this place? How could this place freak her out, it's just - Oh, my god, I brought her to a secluded beach to watch a sunset. What the hell was I thinking? What is she thinks this is me trying to be romantic? I'm a Time Lord, I don't do romantic. If the situation was different and we were together, I would try… for her. But, she doesn't see me like that. I mean, she just flinched, as if I was a stranger to her. What if she really does miss the old me? _

Rose looked down at the ground, trying to think of what to say next. _Why did I flinch? I didn't mean to. It was just we were lying so close and then he touch my hand and then there was earlier on, him with his stupid, albeit sexy glasses and his silly grin that makes me melt. Stupid alien. I don't want to ruin this friendship. Make the first move Tyler, what could be the worst thing that happens? He could kick me off the Tardis and I'll never see him again. Stop it, you're overthinking. _

Rose sank to her knees but there was still some distance between her and the Doctor. She kept her eyes focused on the ground. _This can't happen. If I tell her what I really think, what I really feel. What if she just thinks I'm some perverted alien? _

The Doctor moved closer to her. _I'm just a shop girl from London, what could he possibly see in me? _

Rose gazed up at him and smiled weakly. The Doctor couldn't deal with the silence any longer, it was killing him. He dug his feet deeper into the sand, scooped it up and poured it over his coat. "There we go, now we've both made a mess. Tell me, what's wrong?" 

Rose burst into giggles and he smiled back at her. She glanced to see the sun was missing from the sky, already set. The sky was a bright orange and night was descending. Both had of them had been so focused on their own thoughts, they hadn't even noticed.

"We missed the sunset." she whispered, a little annoyed at herself.

"There are others. I want to talk about right here, right now."

She looked to the Doctor, who looked completely bewildered. Rose bit her lip, trying to think of the words. The right words to say to convey all the emotion that she felt the last couple of years, but talking about it out loud made it seem too real.

"Lately, I just feel…. I mean… you know when you… erm… no, hold on, I'm doing this wrong". Rose gazed up to him and sighed, frustrated at herself. "Okay, ever since you've regenerated..." she trailed off.

The Doctor's hearts sank and he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Rose saw his reaction and nearly kicked herself, realising that he thought.

"No, it's not that I don't like the new you," She added quickly "It's just you've changed so much. I mean you act differently around me."

"How?" he asked.

"Well, you're more cuddly, for one thing."

"Cuddly?" he squeaked.

"Well, yeah. We hold hands more – not that I'm complaining or anything – and we hug more and it's getting hard not to…"

"Not to what?" The Doctor hesitantly placed his hand over Rose, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be alright and that she shouldn't be scared. "Rose, you can tell me anything, you know that."

"You sure?"

"Yes." He said firmly.

"This… with us…, "Rose gestured between them, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know I can't give you forever… it's just that it feels so… so"

"Rose?" The Doctor moved his hand from hers and cupped her cheek. Rose shivered slightly from his touch and knew that she had to finish what she was about to say. Her heart was beating so fast, she was sure that the Doctor could hear it.

"It shouldn't feel so… natural… and easy." That was it. The words had escaped.

"Oh, Rose". The Doctor beamed at her. He rested his forehead against hers and let out a sigh of relief. Before the Doctor could say another word, Rose gently pressed her lips to his. She pulled back before he can respond, staring at him for what happens next.

Before she try to apologise, thinking she has destroyed their relationship, the Doctor grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in for another kiss. Rose gasped, but quickly returned it, more passionately than before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they fell back on to the sandy coat. Rose moan quietly as Doctor's hand slid from her waist to under her top to touch her lower back.

Trying hard to have a coherent thought, Rose reluctantly lifted her head and saw him grinning back at her. She brushed the side of his face with her hand, checking that this wasn't a dream. She had imagined too many times in her head and couldn't believe her luck.

"So, you're not going to kick me off the Tardis then?"

"Nope, but we should probably get back"

Rose raised an eyebrow and the Doctor pointed up behind them. She looked up see several spaceships, some already landed and some hovering above.

"This is a Star Gazing Point" She said, smiling, as the realisation hit her.

"We should get back to the Tardis" The Doctor said grinning back at her "I don't want an audience for what happens next"

And with that he grabbed Rose's hand and his coat and led them back to the cliff side.

**A/N: Sorry this took me so long, I kept over thinking the ending. **

**Hope you like it. **


End file.
